Automatic golf ball teeing device actuated by a battery energized motor



Dec. 3, 1963 Filed April 12, 1962 MARSH AUTOMATIC GOLF BALL TEEING DEVICE ACTUATED BY A BATTERY ENERGIZED MOTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 7:762 LYLE MHRjH av L/m o/v, SETTLE a G ew/a ,47'TOE'NEK5 Dec. 3, 1963 L. MARSH 3,112,932

AUTOMATIC cow BALL TEEING DEVICE ACTUATED BY A BATTERY ENERGIZED MOTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 12. 1962 INVEN TOR. LYLE Mans/4 BY MgjoN, SETTLE & (kn/e Dec- 3, 1963 L MARSH 3,112,932

AUTOMATIC GOLF BALL TEEING DEVICE ACTUATED BY A BATTERY ENERGIZED MOTOR Filed April 12, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3- 444 M, SETTLE z; Can/a ,4rrokwsgs United States Patent 0 3,112,932 AUTQMATTQ GQLF BALL TEEING DEVIQE ACTU- ATED BY A ENERGKZED MGTUR Lyle lvlarsh, St. Clair Shores, Mich, assignor to Marian Metal l roducts Company, Hazel Park, Mich, a corporation oi Michigan Filed Apr. 12, 1962, er. No. 136,896. 5 (Claims. (till. 273-201) This invention relates to an automatic golf ball teeing device, and more particularly to a power operated teeing device which will continue to tee balls as long as there are balls in position for teeing and which will automatically stop when the supply of balls has been exhausted.

The invention is adapted for use in golf ball practice driving ranges. in such ranges, it has been customary in the past for the golfer to purchase a bucket of balls and to manually tee each ball. Such manual teeing is considered undesirable because it forces the golfer to. move out of his stance in order to tee a ball. One of the objects of practicing at driving ranges is to correct minor faults in the stance. Corrections are more easily made if the golfer can simply modify his stance slightly after driving a ball. The present invention provides a device which will automatically tee the balls for the golfer, thus permitting the golfer to concentrate entirely on his practice swings.

The present teeing device is electrically powered. Electrically powered teeing mechanisms have been proposed in the past. However, such devices have required the use of commercial power. The installation of the multitude of power lines necessary for a large number of teeing devices in'a golf driving range has proved to be very expensive. The present invention is so constructed that it may be powered by a small self-contained dry cell storage battery and the entire device is installed merely by burying it in the ground. The installation and service costs are therefore minimal. Additionally, there is no danger of electrically shocking a person standing above the device because only low voltages and current are used.

An object of the invention is to provide an automatic golf ball teeing device which will tee a new golf ball as soon as each ball is hit from the tee.

Another object of the invention is to provide a power operated tecing device which is so constructed as to require minimum power for operation thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a power operated golf ball teeing device which is adapted to be powered by a relatively small dry cell storage battery.

Another object of the invention is to provide a counterbalance system for reciprocating the golf ball tee, thus necessitating the use of only small additional increments of power for the teeing operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a switching system which will actuate the teeing mechanism upon the hitting of each ball to begin a cycle of operation for teeing up the next ball.

A further object of the invention is to provide switchmeans for ole-energizing the teeing device when the supply of balls has been exhausted.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

FTGURE l is a view in perspective of one embodimerit of the automatic golf ball teeing device of the present invention shown installed for use;

FTGURE 2 is a side elevational view viewed from the front with respect to FIGURE 1 with portions of the casing broken away for clarity;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the teeing de vice viewed from the rear with respect to FIGURE 1 with portions of the casing broken away for clarity;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan View of the teeing device with portions of the casing top broken away for clarity;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevational view of the teeing device viewed from the right end with respect to FIGURE 1 with portions of the casing broken away for clarity;

FIGURE 6 is a view in perspective of the gate structure utilized to feed balls to the tee; and

FIGURE 7 is an electrical schematic diagram of the circuitry of the teeing device.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed hereinis for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the golf ball tceing device of the present invention, golf balls are fed by gravity from a hopper it through a chute 14 to a reciprocable teeing member 24. The reciprocable teeing member is reciprocated downwardly to receive a ball, and thence upwardly to a position where the ball is held until hit. A gate structure is provided in the gravity chute to control the admission of balls to the teeing member 24, one ball being admitted at a time.

Referring to FlGURE l, it will be seen that the hopper it) is provided on the ground surface 12 and has gravity chute 14 which extends to the teeing device 16 The teeing device to is buried in the ground and has a matt l8 verlying the top thereof. An opening it; is provided in the malt for the passage of a ball 22 and teeing member 24 through the matt to permit the ball to be positioned above the upper surface of the matt for driving with a golf club.

The hopper ltl comprises a box-like construction having an open top. A shelf 26 is provided eneath the upper edge 28 to receive a plurality of golf balls. The shelf is slanted downwardly towards one corner wherein an opening 3% is provided for the balls. The balls roll by gravity towards this opening and thence into a sinuous track 32 which empties into the chute lid. The chute 14 extends through the casing 34 of the teeing device and is connected to a chute portion 3r; which is an integral part of the teeing device 15. As best seen in FlGURE 5, the chute portion 36 empties into a hollow vertical structure 38. The reciprocating teeing member 24 is positioned in the ructure 33.

The teeing member 24 is fabricated from a resilient tubular material such as rubber so that when it is hit with a golf club head, it may be deformed without damage thereto. The teeing member 24 is secured at its lower end to the head 39 of an externally threaded bolt 4%. The belt as is threaded into a nut 42 which is secured to one end of a pivot arm $4. The height of the tee member 24 may be adjusted as desired by threading the bolt til into or out of the nut 432.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the pivot arm as extends through a vertical opening 4-3 provided in the structure 33. The pivot arm is pivotally secured at i to a carrier member At its outer end, the arm 44 carries a counterweight and an outwardly extending arm 6%, these parts being secured by a bolt 62. The arm as has at its outer end a bolt which is threadingly received therein and locked in place by means of a nut 52. The lower end of the bolt 56 is in registry with spring arm 54 of switch 56. The switch 56 is secured to the carrier member In operation of the device, the counterweight 53 will pivot the arm dd downwardly when there is no ball on the tee member 24. The weight of a ball on tee member 24 is sufficient to overcome the weight of counterweight 53 and pivot the arm 4-4 in the counterclockwise direction. Stop surfaces 64, 66 are provided on carrier member 4-8 to limit the pivoting of arm 44. Clockwise pivoting of arm 44 (when the ball is hit from the tee member 24) will cause the bolt 56 to contact and depress switch arm 54 thus closin" the switch 56. This causes the tee member 24 to be reciprocated downwardly to receive another ball as will be explained hereinafter.

The carrier member 43 has a hollow cylindrical portion 68 which is journaled on a vertical post 76 for up and down movement thereon. An arm 72 extends from the cylindrical portion 63 and has a recess in the end thereof which partially encircles a second guide post 74. This arrangement prevents the carrier member from pivoting or rotating during its up and down movement.

A pivot arm 76 is provided to drive the carrier member 4 3 up and down. The arm 76 has a hollow cylindrical portion 73 which is journaled on a rod 8% extending outwardly from a bracket member 82.

As will be noted in FTGURE 4, the arm 76 is forked at one end, the fork members '84, 86 extending around the carrier member 48. Each fork member has a roller 88, 90 which extends into one of a pair of slots 92 provided in carrier member 48 as may be seen in FIGURE 3. In operation of the device, the arm 76 is pivoted to drive the carrier 43 upwardly and downwardly, the carrier carrying with it the tee member 24. When the arm 76 is pivoted, the rollers 88, he roll in the slots 92 to thus result in a relatively frictionless drive of the carrier member.

A counterweight 94 is provided on the arm 76 at the end opposite from the carrier member 48. The counterweight 94 balances the arm 76 so that it requires only a very small amount of power to drive the arm. The counterweight 94- is preferably slightly heavier than the carrier member 43 so that the carrier 48 and tee member 24 will be retained in their uppermost position without the application of power.

The arm 76 is driven by a small electric motor 96 which is mounted on an arm 98 forming part of the bracket member 82. The source of power for the motor 96 is a dry cell battery Hit) which is removably mounted in brackets 102. The output shaft of the motor 96 is connected to a speed reduction gear box 104. The gear box 194 has an output shaft 166 to which is attached one end of a link 103 forming part of a crank mechanism to drive the arm 76. The link M58 is provided with a screw 110 to permit drawing together of split end portions 112, 114 to thus tighten the link against rotation on the shaft 19-6. The other end of the link T08 is rotatably connected to one end of a second link 1116 by a pin 118. The other end of the link 116 extends into an opening 115 in arm 76 and is rotatably connected to the arm 76 by a pin 129. As will be appreciated, rotation of the shaft 106 will drive links 108, 116 to pivot the arm 76 first to one position in which the arm 76 moves the carrier 48 and tee member 24 to their lowermost positions and to subsequently pivot the arm 76 to a position wherein the carrier and tee members are in their uppermost positions as shown in dotted lines in the various views. When the tee member 24 is in its lowermost position, aball is loaded thereon. When the tee member 24- is in its uppermost position, the ball is ready to be hit by a golfer.

As will be noted in FIGURE 2, an L-shaped arm 122 is secured to the arm 76 by means of a screw 124. The end 126 of arm 122 is in registry with spring arm 12?: of a switch 134) which is mounted on an arm 131 of bracket 82. The switch 130 is a normally open switch. The switch arm 128 is depressed by the arm 122 to close switch 139 whenever the pivot arm 76 is pivoted downwardly from its uppermost position. It is desired to have the switch 130 closed during most of the teeing cycle as will be described hereinafter in connection with the elec- 4 trical circuitry of the device. The arm 122 may justed with relation to spring arm 123 by unthrdd'ig the screw 124 to permit pivoting of the arm 122 t e desired position.

As may be seen in FIGURE 5, a third switch I32 is provided on the underside of the chute portion 36. The switch 132 is a normally open switch and has a spring arm 134 which extends through a slot 136 provided in the chute portion 36. The spring arm T34 is depressed to close switch 132 by any ball which is in a forward position in the chute portion 36. This, the switch 132 is always closed whenever there are balls ready for teeing and is open when the supply of balls has been exhausted.

A gate mechanism is provided to release golf balls one at a time for loading onto the tee member 2-4. As may be seen in the figures, particularly FIGURE 6, the gate structure includes a C-shaped bracket 133 which is fixedly mounted on the chute portion 36. A gate 140 is pivotally mounted to the bracket 133. The gate i -S0 has upwardly extending arms 142, 14- which are pivotally secured to the bracket 133 by pins 146, 146. The gate 146 has a second pair of arms 59, 152 which extend through the slot 136 to control the movement of balls. The arm 159 has a slot 154 through which the spring arm 134 projects, thus preventing actuation of the spring arm by the gate arm 156.

The arms 150, 152 are normally held in the position shown in FIGURE 5 by a counterweight 169. A projection 156 extends outwardly from the arm 142. An L- shaped member 162 is secured to the projection 156. A looped chain 164 is secured to the outer end of the member 16-2 by a nut and bolt structure 166. The chain 164 encircles a rod 168 which projects outwardly from the carrier member 48. The rod 168 has a pin 170 on the outer end thereof to retain the chain 164 on the rod. An arm 159 is secured to member 162 and carries the counterweight 160 at its outer end. The counterweight 160 tends to position the gate 14 as shown in FIGURE 5 to hold back any balls which may be present in the chute portion 36.

In operation, the gate structure normally retains all balls within the chute portion 36. When the tee member 24 and carrier member 43 are reciprocated to their lowermost positions, the rod 168 contacts the chain 164 and pivots the gate 146 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 5. The forward arm 152 moves downwardly out of the path of the forwardmost ball in chute 36. The rearward arm 150 rises to obstruct the passage of the balls behind the forwardmost ball in chute portion 36. This permits the forwardmost ball to roll through the opening 172 and fall into the structure 38 and land on the tee member 24. When the carrier member 48 moves upwardly, the rod I68 will disengage the chain 164, thus permitting the counterweight 163 to pivot the gate 140 to back to the obstructing position shown in FIGURE 5.

The electrical circuitry of the device may best be understood by referring to FIGURE 7. One side of the motor 96 is connected directly to one side of the battery by lead 174. The other side of the motor is connected to the second side of the battery via a lead 176. ie lead 176 is connected to parallel leads 178, 139 which are connected to the battery by lead 181. The switch (which is actuated by the pivot arm 76) is tlocated in lead 178. The switch 56 (which is actuated by the pivot arm 44) and the switch 132 (which is actuated by a ball and chute portion 36) are connected in series by the lead 160. As will be appreciated, closure of the switch 130 or closure of both switches 56 and 132 is operative to complete a circuit through the motor 96. The switch 132 is always closed when there is a ball in chute portion 36. The switch 56 is closed whenever there is no ball on tee member 24. Thus, when there is a ball in chute portion 36 and a ball is hit from tee member 24, the motor 96 will be energized to pivot the arm 76 and move the carrier member 48 and tee member 24 downwardly in ball receiving position. Downward movement of the carrier member 4% will carry the rod 168 downwardly and cause, via the chain "164, pivoting of the gate 14%) to release a ball which will fall into the structure 33 and come to rest on the tee member 24.

As soon as a ball is deposited on tee member 24, the pivot arm 44 will be pivoted to a position wherein the switch 56 will resume its normal open position. However, at this point, the switch 13% is closed by the arm 122 on pivot arm 76 and thus a circuit through motor 96 will still be closed. Continued energization of the motor will cause the pivot arm 76 to pivot to a position wherein the carrier member 4% and tee member 24' will move to their uppermost positions. Just prior to such pivoting of the arm 76, the arm 122 will be moved out of contact with spring arm 128, thus permitting the switch 132 to open and de-energize the motor $6. The arm 76 will continue to pivot for a short distance due to inertia and the counterweight 94. At this point, the ball will be teed and the device ready for another cycle of operation. When all of the balls in chute portion 36 have been exhausted, the switch 132 will assume its normal open position thus ole-energizing thedevice until such time as more balls are loaded into hopp r it).

A keeper mechanism is provided to prevent balls from falling into structure 38 from above the device when the tee member has been reciprocated to its lowermost position. This is to prevent the structure from being jammed as the result of two balls being in the structure 38 at the same time. The keeper mechanism comprises a bracket 184 which is secured to the upper end of structure 38 and a pivotal member 182 which is pivotally secured to bracket 184 and extends for a short distance into the interior of structure 38. The member 182 may be pivoted upwardly by a ball carried on tee member 24 to permit the ball to be teed as desired. However, the member 182 in downward pivoting abuts against bracket 18d and will not pivot there-past. Member i82 thus obstructs the downward movement of balls into the structure 58 from above the member 182.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An automatic golf ball teeing device comprising a vertically reciprocable teeing member, said teeing memer being reciprocable to a lower ball receiving position and to an upper ball teeing position, means for loading a ball onto the teeing member when it is in the lower ball receiving position, an arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, one end of the arm being operatively connected to the teeing member for reciprocating said member, the other end of the arm being counterweighted to susbtantially balance the arm about its pivotal mounting, electric motor means operatively connected to the arm to cause pivoting thereof, an electric battery to energize said motor means, and control means to cause energization of the motor means when there is no ball on the teeing member to first reciprocate the teeing member to its lower osition to receive a ball and to then reciprocate said teeing member to its upper ball teeing position.

2. An automatic golf ball teein device comprising an upright hollow structure; a vertically reciprocable teeing member positioned in said upright structure, said teeing member being reciprocable to a lower ball receiving position and to an upper ball teeing position, said upright structure having an opening therein for deposition balls on the teeing member, an inclined chute for feeding balls through said opening, a gate in said chute for regulating the flow of balls, means for operating said gate to release one ball through said opening when the teeing member is in its lower ball receiving position, an arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, one end of the arm being operatively connected to the teeing member for reciprocating the teeing rnernber, the other end of the arm having a counterweight to substantially balance the arm about its pivotal mounting, electric motor means operativcly connected to the arm to cause pivoting thereof, an

electric battery to energize said motor means, and control means to cause energization of the motor means when there is a ball in the inclined chute and there is no ball on the teeing member to first reciprocate the teeing member to its lower position to receive a ball and to then reciprocate said teeing member to its upper ball teeing position.

3. An automatic golf ball teeing device comprising an upright hollow structure, a vertically reciprocable teeing member positioned in said upright structure, said teeing member being reciproca'ole to a lower ball receiving position and to an upper ball teeing position, said upright structure having an opening therein for the deposition of balls onto the tee, on inclined chute for feeding balls through said opening, a gate in said chute for regulating the How of balls, means connected to said teeing member for actuating said gate to release one ball throng; said opening when the teeing member is in its lower ball receiving position, an arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, one end of the arm being operatively connected to the teeing member for reciprocating the teeing member, the other end of the arm being counterweighted to substantially balance the arm about its pivotal mounting, electric motor means operatively connected to the arm to cause pivoting thereof, and an electric battery to energize said motor means.

4, An automatic golf ball teeing device comprising an upright hollow structure, a vertically reciprocable teeing member positioned in said upright structure, said teeing member being reciprocable to a lower ball receiving posiion and to an upper ball teeing position, said upright structure having an opening therein for the passage of balls onto the teeing member, an inclined chute for feeding balls through said opening, a gate in said chute for regulating the how of balls, means for operating said gate to release one ball through said opening when the teeing member is in its lower ball receiving position, a first arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, said first arm carrying the teeing member at one end and being counterweighted at its other end, said counterweighted end moving downwardly when there is no ball on the teeing member, a second arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, a first end of the second arm being operatively connected to the first arm for reciprocating the first arm and teeing member, a second end of said second arm being counterweighted to slightly overbalance the firs end, electric motor means operativeiy connected to the second arm to cause pivoting thereof, an electric battery to energize said motor means, a first circuit operatively connecting the motor and battery, first and second normally open switches connected in series in said first circuit, the first switch being actuated to the closed position by a ball in said inclined chute, the second switch being actuated to the closed position by the first arm upon downward movement of the counterweighted end thereof, a second circuit operatively connecting the motor and battery, and a third normally open switch in said second circuit, said third switch being actuated to the closed position upon upward movement of the second end of the second arm.

5. An automatic golf ball teeing device comprising an upright hollow structure, a vertically reciprocable teeing member positioned in said upri ht structure, said teeing member being reciprocable to a lower ball receiving position and to an upper ball teeing position, said upright structure having an opening therein for the passage of balls onto the teeing member, an inclined chute for feeding balls through said opening, a pivotal gate in said chute for regulating the flow of balls, counterweight means for normally pivoting said gate to a ball obstructing position, gate actuating means connected to said teeing member for reciprocable movement therewith, said gate actuating means being operative to pivot the gate to allow one ball to pass thereby when the teeing member is in its lower ball receiving position, an arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, one end of the arm being operativcly connected to the teeing member for reciprocating said member, the other end of the arm being counterweighted to substantially balance the arm about its pivotal mounting, eiectric motor means operatively connected to the arm to cause pivoting thereof, an electric battery to energize said motor means, and control means to cause energization of the motor means when there is a ball in the inclined chute and there is no ball on the teeing ember to first reciprocate the teeing member to its 10 8 lower position to receive 'a ball and to then reciprocate said teeing member to its upper ball teeing position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,212,877 Gale Aug. 27, 1940 2,295,599 Mozel Sept. 15, 1942 2,618,480 Williams Nov. 18, 1952 2,789,824 Willcox Apr. 23, 1957 2,838,313 Mozcl June 10, 1958 

1. AN AUTOMATIC GOLF BALL TEEING DEVICE COMPRISING A VERTICALLY RECIPROCABLE TEEING MEMBER, SAID TEEING MEMBER BEING RECIPROCABLE TO A LOWER BALL RECEIVING POSITION AND TO AN UPPER BALL TEEING POSITION, MEANS FOR LOADING A BALL ONTO THE TEEING MEMBER WHEN IT IS IN THE LOWER BALL RECEIVING POSITION, AN ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS, ONE END OF THE ARM BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE TEEING MEMBER FOR RECIPROCATING SAID MEMBER, THE OTHER END OF THE ARM BEING COUNTERWEIGHTED TO SUBSTANTIALLY BALANCE THE ARM ABOUT ITS PIVOTAL MOUNTING, ELECTRIC MOTOR MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE ARM TO CAUSE PIVOTING THEREOF, AN ELECTRIC BATTERY TO ENERGIZE SAID MOTOR MEANS, AND CONTROL MEANS TO CAUSE ENERGIZATION OF THE MOTOR MEANS WHEN THERE IS NO BALL ON THE TEEING MEMBER TO FIRST RECIPROCATE THE TEEING MEMBER TO ITS LOWER POSITION TO RECEIVE A BALL AND TO THEN RECIPROCATE SAID TEEING MEMBER TO ITS UPPER BALL TEEING POSITION. 